Bale tie and buckle



D. w. VAN DocRN I 2,908,058 BALEl TIE AND BUCKLE Filed Nv. 5, 195e oct. 13, 1959 I4 u f l L. y I2 V\ I9 i l l I9 I I I -le i i 2| l z 2| ,ff I l f" J J 2,908,058 Patented Oct. 13, 1959 BALE TIE AND BUCKLE Donald W. Van Doorn, Columbus, Ga., assignor to Ium mus Cotton Gin Company, a corporation of Georgia Application November 5,v 1956, Serial No. 620,408

2 Claims. (Cl. 24-21) This invention relates to a bale ytie and buckle and has for an object the provision of a tie of iixed length and.

a buckle formed in identical readily engageable halves with one half permanently joined to each end of the tie.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a bale tie and buckle of the character designated in which the halves of the buckle may be readily disengaged by the use of a suitable tool, whereby the tie and buckle may be reused a multiplicity of times.

A further object of my invention is to provide'a bale tie buckle in the form of two identical parts which may be formed from a continuous strip of metal in a single operation.

A still more speciiic object of my invention is to provide a bale tie buckle comprised of identical halves each of which has formed therein a trapezoidal opening with a tongue bent outward from each opening at an angle of less than 90 to the plane of the buckle whereby, when one half is inverted with respect to the other, the two tongues may be interlocked and whereby when th-usv interlocked may be disengaged by inserting a suitable tool in the opening of one of the halves and prying the other half outwardly to disengage it.

Brieily, my invention comprises a bale tie having a buckle embodying identical halves one of which is permanently secured to each end of the tie, the two halves being inverted with respect to each other. Each half of the buckle is of a generally rectangular outline and is provided with an opening which is preferably of trapezoidal shape, with a tongue turned outwardly of the plane of the buckle at an angle of less than 90, preferably at around 70 to the plane of the buckle. When inverted, with one half over the other, the tongues may be readily interlocked. When thus interlocked the opening in the lower half extends beyond the edge of the rupper half, whereby a suitable tool may be inserted in the opening and the two halves pried apart. The tie may then be reused.

My invention is especially applicable to use where relatively large quantities of bales are being packaged and in which the ties may be inexpensively returned to the initial baling pointafter removal from the bales at their destination. In many textile plants the fibers may be baled several Itimes during their processing within a single plant. In some such plants with which I am familiar a wire is used to hold the bales. When a bale tied with such a wire is opened, the wire is cut and can no longer be used. 'In some textile mills the regular bale tie that comes with bales of cotton from the cotton gins is reused. However, with previous buckles customarily fused, the ties are damaged when the buckle is twisted loose. Furthermore, previous buckles often would get lost in the liber resulting in damage to machinery and increasing the tire hazard. Also, when reused, such ities often break when the pressure of the bale is released against them making it necessary for the press ram to be reapplied while a new tie is being slipped into place.

All of these and other difficulties are overcome by means of my invention, features of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a bale tie and buckle with the halves of the buckle engaged;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, also illustrating `the manner in which the two halves may be separated;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the halves separate from the tie; j f :1f van.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of two halves in position to be interlocked; and p 'l Fig.'5 is a sectional view of a bale whichf has been tied by means of my improved buckle. i 4

Referring to the drawings, I show ay baletie -buckle comprised of two identical halves 10 and 11, the two halves being inverted' with respect to each other. As viewed in Figs. l and 2 of the drawing, the half 10 is permanently secured to one end 12 of a bale tie and the other half 11 is secured to the other end 13 of the bale tie.

As will be seen in the drawings, the halves of the buckle are of a generally rectangular shape and each is provided with a trapezoidal opening 14 with the sides 16 and 17 of the opening being generally parallel. It will be apparent however that while there are obvious advantages in providing a trapezoidal opening other shapes may be employed. Turned outwardly from the side 17 of the opening 14 at an angle of less than 90, preferably approximately 70 is a tongue 18, the tongue being narrower than the side 17.

As shown -in Fig. 2 of the drawing the end portions of the ties 12 and 13 are passed through the trapezoidal openings 14 and bent back over themselves around the edges 16 of the opening and each is joined to itself as by welding shown at 19 and 21. It will also be seen from the drawing that the two halves 10 and 11 are joined to the tie in an invented position with respect to each other so that when one is placed over the other, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the tongues 18 may be readily interlocked as shown in Fig. 2. The pressure of the bale, shown at 20, and the 70 inclination of the tongues 18 cause the buckle halves 10 and 11 to draw snugly together.

As will be seen from Fig. 2, the opening 14 in each of the halves is of such a length that it extends beyond the adjacent edge 23 of the other half when the tongues 18 are interlocked. Whenever it becomes necessary to open a bale having my improved bale tie and buckle, a suitable tool such as indicated in dotted lines at 22 in Fig. 2 may be inserted in the opening 14 between the edge 16 of the lower buckle half and the adjacent edge 23 of the upper buckle half and the two halves thus be readily pried apart. The tie may then be removed and may be reused an indefinite number of times.

From the `foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised an improved bale tie buckle which is extremely simple of design, economical of manufacture from a continuous strip of metal by a single operation, and one which may be repeatedly reused wherever bales of expansible material, such as bers, and of a uniform size are being produced. The width of the tongue 18 in each half of the buckle relative to the opening provides for ready interlocking of the 'tongues without skewing or putting unequal strain on any part.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications Without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. In a bale tie and buckle, a pair of substantially identical generally flat buckle members, there being an openingin each buckle member bounded along one edge by a cross piece around which the tie is bent to attach the same to the buckle member-s, and a tongue bent outwardly fromrthe edge of the opening` opposite the cross piece and at an angle less`than 90 to the plane lof the buckle members, said buckle members Vbeing secured as aforesaid to the ends of the tie in relatively inverted position ,whereby said tongues may be interiocked, the dimensions of said openings being such that when the buckle members areinterlocked an outer edge of each buckle member is spaced inwardly over the opening of the ad-Y Y jacent member thereby permitting a tool to be inserted between the buckle members for prying them apart.

2. A bale tie and metal buckle therefor in which the buckle is comprised of upper and lower buckle* members eachof which has a flat bodypo-rtion with an opening i formed therein and with a tongue bent outwardly from one edge of the opening at an angle lessV than 90 to the plane of the body portion, and means joining the two members permanently to the opposite ends of the tie with 'one of the members inverted with respect to the Y other whereby when one of the members is placed over References Cited in thele of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 297,721 Rust Apr. 29 1884 Mullane .s July 16, 1901 

